"Reckless fool."
Emperor Jingxuan sneered, his expression icy.
As the folding screen collapsed with a crash, he raised his hand toward the hidden assassin, a sharp glint of cold steel flashing. At the critical moment, a faint whimper reached his ears, and his gaze fell upon the pale blue figure tumbling to the ground. His face darkened instantly.
"My lady?!"
In desperation, he twisted his wrist, redirecting the strike toward empty air. The restless hidden dart tore through the night’s silence like lightning, embedding itself into the beam above—a sight that sent chills down the spine.
A near miss.
Just a fraction closer, and she would have been hurt.
A vein throbbed at Emperor Jingxuan’s temple, his expression darker than ever before. His hands, hidden within his wide sleeves, trembled slightly, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.
Yun Wan remained unaware of how close she had come to death. When the screen collapsed, her body lost control, sending her crashing to the floor. The drug in her system muddled her consciousness, dulling the pain from her bruised knees.
Hearing the commotion, she lifted her head dazedly.
Jet-black hair, snow-white skin, cheeks flushed a delicate pink—her eyes were as clear as lake water, shimmering like the bright moon overhead. Her loose robes draped around her slender frame, the fabric pooling around her like a blooming flower. Kneeling atop the ruined screen, her hair disheveled, she looked like a painting against the embroidered silk backdrop of mountains and rivers.
The moment she recognized Emperor Jingxuan, Yun Wan realized where she was.
The Emperor’s bedchamber.
Staring at him blankly, tears welled in her eyes before she could speak.
Glistening droplets fell like scattered pearls, rolling down her cheeks in quick succession until her eyes were red and swollen. Emperor Jingxuan’s chest tightened, and he stepped out of the bathing pool, striding toward her.
Yun Wan instinctively shrank back. "Your Majesty, don’t come closer!"
Her face was filled with resistance and wariness, halting him mid-step.
The heat inside her surged like waves, threatening to drown her. Biting her lip, she murmured haltingly, "I... I think I ate something... something tainted..."
Emperor Jingxuan frowned. "Tainted?"
Only then did he notice her abnormal state—flushed cheeks, hazy eyes, tearful and disoriented. A suspicion formed in his mind, and his expression darkened.
Yun Wan covered her face with her sleeve, her voice breaking between sobs. "I don’t know... I just feel so... so unwell..."
After some thought, she realized the culprit must have been the osmanthus wine she drank earlier. She didn’t know what had been added to it, but judging by her symptoms, it was likely some kind of aphrodisiac.
And Consort Shu was undoubtedly behind it! Knowing Yun Wan could identify fragrances, she had tampered with something meant to be consumed.
Sitting on the ruined screen, she propped herself up with her hands, her voice thick with grievance. "Your Majesty, I truly don’t know how I ended up here... I didn’t mean to intrude into your chambers. I woke up here..."
"I wasn’t trying to seduce you... I wasn’t trying to climb into your bed—"
Overwhelmed, Yun Wan collapsed forward, sobbing into the floor, her cries filled with misery and fear.
She remembered the dancer from earlier that evening, dragged away for attempting to catch his attention.
Naturally, she feared Emperor Jingxuan would mistake her for the same kind of woman.
Emperor Jingxuan had no doubt that this was not her doing. If Yun Wan had wanted his attention, she wouldn’t have needed such elaborate schemes.
As for who had drugged her, he would deal with them later.
"The floor is cold. Let me help you up."
When Yun Wan resisted his approach, he extended a hand without closing the distance.
Yun Wan wanted to stand, but her limbs felt like limp noodles, utterly devoid of strength. She could only gaze up at him helplessly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
With a quiet sigh, Emperor Jingxuan stepped fully out of the pool, water cascading around him as he strode toward her.
Bending down, he swept her into his arms, her slender frame molding against him like supple willow branches.
The moment their bodies pressed together, their breaths mingled, the air between them turning scorching.
Compared to her own feverish heat, Emperor Jingxuan felt like a cooling block of ice, absorbing the fire raging inside her.
The relief was so intense that Yun Wan instinctively nuzzled against his bare chest, rubbing her flushed cheek against him like a kitten seeking comfort.
The sensation of her softness against his skin sent a jolt through him, his entire body tensing.
His throat bobbed as he rasped, "My lady."
Yun Wan clutched at his chest, her voice a breathy whimper. "So hot..."
Her lips parted slightly as she panted, the faintest glimpse of pearly teeth and pink tongue visible.
Emperor Jingxuan forced himself to look away, but his body’s reaction was beyond his control.
Desire simmered in his gaze as he stared down at her, his voice rough. "I’ll summon the Imperial Physician."
Yun Wan shook her head frantically. "N-no... no Imperial Physician."
A dark glint flickered in his eyes. The corner of his lips curled as he murmured, almost coaxingly, "No Imperial Physician? Then what does my lady want?"
Her body burned hotter still. Her red lips parted, her gaze turning sultry as she whispered, "Water... I want to soak in water."
"Then I’ll take you."
With that, he carried her back into the pool.
The water, no longer as warm as before, soaked through her robes instantly, soothing her heated skin.
Yet within moments, her relaxed expression twisted back into discomfort.
Noticing this, Emperor Jingxuan asked, "What’s wrong?"
Yun Wan bit her lower lip hard. "...Still too hot."
She squirmed restlessly, her movements brushing against a certain part of him. He sucked in a sharp breath and gripped her waist in warning. "Don’t move."
"I will move! I have to!"
Driven to frustration, Yun Wan began acting out, her hands roaming over his body in desperation.
Her reckless touches left him torn between pleasure and torment. Finally, he seized her wrists, his voice laced with amusement and strain. "My lady, men and women should maintain propriety. This is highly improper."
Yun Wan shook her head wildly. "Help me... Your Majesty, please help me... I can’t take it anymore..."
His gaze darkened. "Do you understand what you’re asking?"
Her breath was sweet against his skin. "I know, I know! Just help me!"
For a moment, Emperor Jingxuan nearly lost control.
But—
"If my lady agrees to become mine, then I’ll help you. How does that sound?"
He traced her waist, holding back his own desire as he bargained with her.
Yun Wan knew there was no escape—and his hesitation only annoyed her. Without another word, she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed a kiss to his lips.
If Consort Shu was so eager to deliver her to the Emperor’s bed, then she would grant that wish.
With her soft body in his arms and the woman he desired willingly offering herself, how could any red-blooded man resist?
All thoughts of schemes and hidden agendas vanished from his mind.
She must care for him—why else would she seek his help and no one else’s?
